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Foie Gras Foes and Duck Defenders Expose Animal Abuse Activists Hope Graphic Images of Reality Leave a Sour Taste San Mateo— Holding posters that feature the body of a duck who died during the violent force-feeding process and ducks crammed into transport cages, members of Animal Place, Farm Sanctuary, In Defense of Animals (IDA), and Viva!USA will greet attendees of a duck meat and foie gras dinner hoping the cruelty highlighted will urge them to have a change of heart and forgo indulging in products that involve intense suffering for the animals. The groups highlight the suffering ducks endure during force-feeding, an unnatural process that forces massive quantities of corn mush into the birds through pipes shoved down their throats to produce the diseased fatty liver known as foie gras. When: Saturday, April 16, from 5:00 p.m. Where: The Dining Room Restaurant, 1602 S. El Camino Real Foie gras production is ranked as one of the cruelest industries within animal agribusiness. The inherent cruelty has resulted in bans on its production in at least fifteen countries including Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Israel, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, the U.K. and the Czech Republic. Following public sentiment, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill into law that will ban the production and sale of foie gras from force-fed birds. Similar bans have been introduced in Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Illinois. A 2004 Zogby Poll found that 77% of U.S. voters polled agreed that force-feeding ducks and geese should be banned. On California’s only foie gras producing farm investigators documented ducks crammed in feces-ridden sheds, suffering and dying from organ rupture from being force-fed nearly four pounds of corn mush a day through pipes shoved down their throats. The twice daily force-feedings often choke, injure or kill the birds by gouging open their throats with the pipe. By the end of the force-feeding process, ducks are physically debilitated with livers five to ten times normal size and many are unable to stand or walk. Investigations on duck meat farms revealed that ducks raised for meat suffer terrible abuse as well. Ducks that have evolved to eat, swim, dive, play and clean themselves in water are confined by the thousands in sheds where they are forced to live in filth. On most duck farms, the only water the birds receive is from nipple drinkers. By the time they are sent to slaughter, some are unable to stand, while others suffer severe eye problems due to their inability to preen because of water deprivation. The farmed duck’s life ends violently after seven weeks. Some are fully conscious when their throats are cut. “Anyone buying or selling foie gras is directly responsible for the suffering of ducks,” say the groups. “We applaud compassionate lawmakers for the passage and introduction of bills to ban what should be illegal under animal cruelty laws: shoving pipes down animals’ throats and forcing them to eat until their organs are on the verge of rupture. In the interim, it is up to restaurateurs to eliminate this suffering by refusing to serve foie gras.” |
April 15, 2005
Contact Alfredo Kuba, IDA (650) 965-8705 Kristie Phelps (757) 423-0093 Back to: News Media Coverage News Archives |
Animal Protection & Rescue League 302 Washington St. #404 San Diego, CA 92103 (619) 236-8991 www.APRL.org |
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In Defense of Animals 3010 Kerner Blvd., San Rafael, CA 94901 (415) 448-0048 www.idausa.org |